A soldier and his Newfoundland Dog At Antietam

kholland

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Retired Moderator
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Howard County, Maryland
bachelle_stone.jpg



This is the stone at Antietam National Cemetery for Captain Werner von Bachelle, killed in action on 17 September 1862 at Antietam. He's something of a celebrity today. School kids hear of him in their packets at the cemetery and battlefield. Though he died a brave soldier, like so many others that day, that's not why he's so well known. He owes his celebrity to his dog.

In April 1861 von Bachelle volunteered with his local militia, the Citizens Corps of Milwaukee, for service in response to President Lincoln's first call for troops. In May he was commissioned in Federal service and his unit became Company F of the new 6th Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Like von Bachelle, nearly all of the men of the Company were German speakers, most German born.

The Regiment was part of the famous "Black Hat" Brigade (with the 2nd & 7th Wisconsin, 19th Indiana Infantry Regiments), and after a year of garrison duty around Washington DC, they first saw action at Second Bull Run (Manassas) in August 1862. Werner had been promoted to 1st Lieutenant in December. After fighting at Turner’s Gap on South Mountain Werner’s unit moved on to Antietam.

The commander of the regiment Rufus Dawes describes what happened to Werner and his dog at Antietam.

At the very farthest point of advance on the turnpike, Captain Werner Von Bachelle, commanding Company F, was shot dead.

Captain Bachelle was an ex-officer of the French army. Brought up as a soldier in the Napoleonic school, he was imbued with the doctrine of fatalism. His soldierly qualities commanded the respect of all, and his loss was deeply felt in the regiment. Bachelle had a fine Newfoundland dog, which had been trained to perform military salutes and many other remarkable things. In camp, on the march, and in the line of battle, this dog was his constant companion. The dog was by his side when he fell.

Our line of men left the body when they retreated, but the dog stayed with his dead master, and was found on the morning of the 19th of September lying dead upon his body. We buried him with his master. So far as we knew, no family or friends mourned for poor Bachelle, and it is probable that he was joined in death by his most devoted friend on earth.

There is a chance that dog is under that stone in the Antietam National Cemetery, too.

From Brian Downey’s Antietam on the web at : http://antietam.aotw.org/
 
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